Number 37
October 2014
WE’RE GOING TO BE BUSY, BUSY, BUSY (AND HAVE FUN FUN FUN)
LOTS OF ACTIVITIES COMING UP:
HALF MOON BAY - JUST AROUND THE CORNER
Literally and geographically, our “sort of” annual Blue Water Cruise is just around the corner (of Pigeon Point) and only
a few weeks away. Eight boats have signed on, with a few more coming by land. Planning to ply the same waters as
Sir Francis Drake, our own Sir Bud (Sheble) and Sir Svend (Schjoerring) will lead us out the gate and south for a few
days of libations, good company and great food. There’s even a back-up plan if the weather gods don’t cooperate.
Come by land or by sea; if you haven’t signed up, contact Bud Sheble.
AND THEN...THE NEW YEAR APPROACHES
Join us for our annual New year’s celebration at Petaluma, always a highlight of the past and future years. Plans include the usual champagne, dockside R&BBBB breakfast and dinners at Graffiti and Cucina Paradiso Look for more
details coming soon.
BUT WAIT....THERE’S MORE
Our annual Cruise-in/Drive In is set for February 21, 2015. Come by sea and take a slip at South Beach Harbor, or
come by land and join us at Delancey Street Restaurant for dinner. Planning is in process...look for details early next
year.
SUMMER’S HIGHLIGHT – THE SFBANTA BAY CRUISE
Photos: Svend Schjoerring
“I have been cruising on San Francisco Bay for more than 50 years, and Svend took me to a place I had never been to.”
so said Bob Lee (Apollo) but everyone on our SFBANTA summer cruise visited at least one place new to them. We had
a delightful time, and only regret that the short notice prevented more boats from joining us. Six boats – Nimbus,
Apollo, Popeye, Eternity, Winsome Lass and Jeanne Marie III -- converged at Marin Yacht Club in San Rafael on a
sunny summer August Sunday where we enjoyed MYC’s hospitality and dinner.
WINSOME LASS ENCOUNTERS A SAILBOAT RACE APPROACHING MYC
WINSOME LASS IS
WELL-GUARDED
HAPPY HOUR ON THE DOCK.
Monday morning saw us off the dock and down skinny San Rafael channel to Mark 17 on a gray, breezy day. We were
the only boats on the bay as we approached the Richmond Bridge. Svend displayed his excellent tour guide skills with
commentary as we headed down Raccoon Strait to Richardson Bay and another shallow water adventure. Popeye
pealed off for its Tiburon home and now we were five.
Photo: Svend Schjoerring
We went down Richardson Bay, past the ornate houseboats, past various marinas,....and kept going and going before
making a sharp turn to starboard and into a channel around Strawberry Point. Who knew there was navigable water back
there – and a delightful lagoon where we anchored and relaxed for lunch.
ANCHORED FOR LUNCH AT STRAWBERRY COVE
The trip back out was uneventful – plenty of water, although Tug Bob (not Apollo, but really working Tug Bob) was hard
at work helping a dredge. We made our way back up Raccoon Strait, across to Richmond and an hour after leaving
Strawberry Point found ourselves at Richmond Yacht Club.
Photo: Svend Schjoerring
We had the club’s spacious docks to ourselves and were visited by Wayne and Linda (Buoy Toy).
Photo: Svend Schjoerring
THE FLEET OF FIVE AT RYC
BOB LEE, PAM SHEBLE AND PAM’S SISTER OLIVE, FROM NEW ZEALAND
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What a difference a day makes! Tuesday dawned calm and bright for our half-hour sprint over to Angel Island. We
docked. Some hiked; many enjoyed the narrated tram trip.
We were off the dock at 1455, heading up towards Yellow Bluff and the Marin shoreline to (sort of) avoid the slot and by
1534 were entering San Francisco Marina, taking side ties at the marina just across the channel from the Golden Gate
YC, America’s Club winner. It was hard to choose between our many dining options; the walk on a balmy evening was
delightful.
Photo: Pat Borison
Wednesday started with another tour guide talk. Winsome Lass took off to Pittsburg and four boats cruised down the city
front. Eternity spun off at South Beach– and then there were three. Svend took us down to Point Avisadero, better known
as Hunter’s Point. We learned about the giant crane, a WWII war prize from Germany built to lift heavy guns off of battleships but here used only as a “sky hook “ during testing of early Polaris missiles; the cranes prevented dummy missiles
from falling back onto the launch area.
NIMBUS LEADS US UNDER THE GIANT CRANE AT HUNTER’S POINT
As Jeannie Marie III headed back to Emeryville, Nimbus and Apollo turned in to Clipper Cove to anchor for the night and
celebrate the end of a successful cruise.
2015 RENDEZVOUS REDUX AT RIO VISTA
Good times (and a great logo) at 2014’s Rio Vista Rendezvous call for an encore, and so it will be, on May 28-31, 2015.
The more astute may notice a change from our traditional weekend between Mother’s Day and Memorial Day – that date
was not available. Save the date and stay tuned as plans progress.
UPDATE ON PROPOSED TWIN TUNNELS
As discussed and voted on at our annual meeting, SFBANTA commented on the EIR for the proposed twin tunnels designed to siphon water from the delta. (The official project is called the Bay Conservation Delta Plan -- BDCP -- with
many complex alternatives but the core is a plan to dig two 40-foot wide tunnels under the Delta for 35 miles to divert
water from near Freeport to Tracy.)
Our comments focused on impacts to navigation and recreation, particularly of the anticipated 10-year construction from
round-the-clock lights and pile drivers in the middle of now-pristine Delta sloughs. Copies of our letter were sent to RBOC
and PICYA. Please contact Pat Borison ([email protected]) if you’d like a copy of the letter as sent.
We understand that some 10,000 pagers of responses were received, including one highly critical one from the EPA.
Agencies are in the process of revising the EIR to address the EPA concerns; a revised EIR is scheduled to be released
early in 2015 with an additional public comment period. In the interim, some Southern California water agencies are focusing attention and funds on desalination, recycling of waste water and conservation, realizing, we hope, that so far
there is no water to fill the tunnels, even if built. We will keep you posted of future developments.
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WELCOME TO NEW MEMBERS
Melissa Prandi & Ray Moore, NT32 with fly bridge “Unwine’d”
Bob & Mo Horvath, NT32-084 “Loki” now in Oceanside
Scott & Joy Duncan, Chance and Josh, NT 37-014 “Frisky” now in Isleton
KEEP UP WITH THE LATEST NEWS & DATES
Look for cruise announcements and news at www.sfbanta.org . It’s informative and entertaining, and includes safety tips,
maintenance experiences, cruising stories and, of course, the latest calendar.
SAVE THE DATE
October 23-28, 2014
December 30, 2014
to Jan. 2, 2015
Fall Blue Water cruise to Half Moon Bay
February 21, 2015
May 28-31, 2015
Cruise In/Drive In at South Beach
2015 Rendezvous at Rio Vista
New Year’s cruise to Petaluma
NEXT SFBANTA BOARD MEETING:
Thursday, November 6, 2014, at Ballena Bay. All are welcome. Please contact any board member if you’d like to attend.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Richard Smith, President
Bob Lee, Membership Activities Chair
Bud Sheble, Immediate Past President
Alice Bauman and John Ferandin, At Large
Pat Borison, MMM Editor
Pat Borison Secretary
Irwin “Scotty” Scott, Treasurer
John Muff, PICYA Delegate
Svend Schjoerring, Official Event Photographer
Lenard Lee, Nordic Tug Liaison
Steve Cuff, Director Emeritus
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